Logging equipment hanging device



plil 2, 1935. J. W FORRESTER l,996,509

LOGGING EQUIPMNT HANGING DEVICE l Filed Feb. 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l l l 'I April 2, 1935. J. w. FORRESTER f LOGGING EQUIPMENT HANGING DEVICE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1954 :uuml- Illlllll IIIIIIIIIL mi ,f w H /7/ u, Ll). www

Patented Apr. Z, 1935 8 Claims.

My invention relates to means employed in the hanging of legging blocks, tree jacks, and tree shoes.

The call from year to year has been for more speed in the moving of the huge logs outoi the forests on the Pacific coast. rlhe larger and faster donkeys require heavier and more substantial rigging. Tree jacks and tree shoes are now made live feet wide and weigh over one thousand pounds. Sonie of the high lead blocks 'stand as high as the average man and weigh two thousand pounds. Many times these huge devices are hung one hundred and seventy-ive feet above the ground. A man, known as ahighclimber, prepares the spar-tree, usually around five feet in diameter at the butt, by liinbing it and topping it at the desired height. The tree is then guyed at its top and intermediate point preparatory to hanging the high lead block, for instance, which is hung at a point where the tree will average twenty-six inches Yin diameter.

High lead blocks are of two general types one of which may be brieiiy described as comprising two sides bolted together top and bottom thru spreaders which serve to space the sides apart for the reception oi a sheave rotatable on `a stationary shait carried by the sides. The top spreader may be formed with an extension which is provided with an eye or the extension may be separately formed and adapted to swivel in the spreader. In the other general type the top end of each of the sides is provided with spaced ears for the reception of the end oi a spreader or bale,v

better known to the logger as a crosshead, which is secured to them by a pin. In this type the eye is either formed in the crosshead or in the swivel carried by the crosshead.

A clevis is hingedly secured to a block by passing the clevis pin thru the eye in the spreader extension, the swivel, or the crosshead, whichever is incorporated in that particular block.

Some loggers prefer to pass the pin beneath the crosshead.

To hang a block, each leg oi the clevis is passed thru an eye spliced on eachv end of a cable sling which is made just long enough to encircle the tree and permit the clevis legs to be passed thru the sling eyes. When this is accomplished the block is hoisted to position where its swivel, for instance, is between the legs of the clevis and its eye alignment to receive the clevis pin.

The hanging of a block is easier and quicker said than done. The high-climber must do his work while clinging to the side of the spar-tree by-means of a belt about his waist and spurs (Cl. 2li-123) upon his feet or while hanging in a crotchA sling.

An eight foot 1%" alloy steelcable sling' is a stiff and difcult thing to handle and twist..vk It must be handled carefully as the `jaggers onV its spliced ends can rip a mans hand open should the end flip as it is being twisted in working-its eye onto a clevis leg. Even when this is accomplished it is a difficult job to get `the eye in each clevis leg and the eye in the swivel to align so that the clevis pin, which is usually about three inches in diameter, may be inserted.

Many times it becomes a more diicult job to dismantle a spar-tree for the clevis pin is often frozen because of the great strains placed upon it and the clevis. f

One object of my invention. is to eliminate much of the hard work of the high-climber.

Another object is to cut down the time required to hang a block or take it down.

Another object is to minimize the danger or injury to the high-climber.

Another object is to eliminate the cost of the fourteen feet of cable required in running the4 eye splices of the sling-two' to four feet additional are also wasted since this amount is requiredto get sunicient grip upon the individual strands to. pull them tight in the splice..

Another object is to cut down the time required to make up a sling after its length has been ascerf tained by the high-climber.

Another object is to save the cost of labor re-y quired to run the splices. Two men are required.

Another object is to avoid the necessity of keeping a splicing specialist on the payroll. L

Another object is to permit a sling to be used more than once since the changof the sling eye on the clevis generally precludes its being used more than once.

Another object is the Vavoidance of the insertion and removal of the clevis pin every timer a block is hung or takendown.

Still further accomplishments will be apparent as I proceed with the detailed description of my invention.

Thruout the accompanying drawings and in. this specification similar numerals refer to similar parts.

Fig. 1 is a plan View partly in section on the median line ofthe cable; Fig. 2 ls a side view;` Fig. 3 is a rear View; Fig. ll is a section on ll-i of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a' section o-n 5-`5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a plan View ofY a sling with one end enlarged and in section on the median line of the cable; Fig. '7 is an end view showing the interconnection with a thimbled cable connection to a bend 8 should be short of the end 2.

tree jack or tree shoe; Fig. 8 is a side View of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a section on 9 9 of Fig. '7; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the keeper.

Cables with thimbled ends are extensively used in connection with certain types of choker and butt hooks and the method of preparing, cleaning, and anchoring the thimble on the cable is so well known to the logging fraternity that I shall only briefly describe Fig. 6, in the sectional portion. of which I have shown only a few of the wires and their anchoring. Most of the thimbles used in connection with choker and butt hooks have at ends, which I may use, but I prefer to use the type shown in Fig. 6. The thimble Iis cylindrical in form and has one flat end 2 and `one convex end 3 which is pierced by a centrally positioned aperture 4 thru whichl the end of the cable 5 is passed into the frusta-conically shaped chamber 6 whose base is the end 2. Some loggers merely untwist and spread the-- Wires I which form the cable 5 while others pre-` fer to bend the wires 'I back upon themselves as I I have shown. The ends of the wires 'I or their After the wires have been dipped in sulphuric acid to clean them, and after the surplus acid is cleaned oi by clean water, the interstices 9 between them are lled with lead, zinc, or babbitt, poured in while hot so as to form a solid frusto-conically shaped the pin 28. 75"

`With the spar-tree I5.

head I0 on the cable 5 in conformity with the chamber 6.

I prepare my sling II by securing on each end I IA of a predetermined length of cable 5 a thimble I. Such a sling is free from the jaggers common with spliced eyes. No matter what'strains are in the cable 5 the thiznbled ends IIA thereof are readily aligned, without facing up, to their respective associated portion of the interconnection I2 because of their continuous cylindrical form. The interconnection I2 is formed with ya head portion I3 with which the sling I I is associated and a depending leg portion I 4 with which the block, tree jack, or tree shoe, to be hung, is associated. As associated with the spar-tree I5, the interconnection I2 has the appearance of an inverted L in Figs. 2 and?. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the leg portion I4 is bifurcated to form the jaws I6 whose opening II is disposed at right angles to the head portion I3 and in vertical alignment The jawsV I6 are provided with the holes I8 for the reception of the pin I9 whichv serves to hingedly secure the interconnection I2 to the block 29. This block 29 is of the type having spaced ears 2| on eachof its sides 22. It is shown provided with an inverted U-shaped crosshead .23 with the ends 23A thereof positioned between their associated ears 2| and secured thereto by the pins 24. These pins 24 are con- 60. struoted similar to the pin I9, that is, they have a head 24A formed integrally on one end thereof and are provided with a nut 25 threaded on the opposite end and secured against further movement, when once adjusted, by .a pin 26 which passes thru the nut 25 and the pin 24. The crosshead 23 is formed with an enlarged central portion 2'! thru which is passed the pin portion 28 of the swivel 29. The swivel 29 is formed with a top bearing shoulder 39 and is provided with a bottom bearing nut SI threaded upon the pin portion 28, below a bearing washer` 32 positioned below the bottom face 23B ofthe crosshead 23, and secured, when in adjusted position thereon, by the pin 33 which passes thru the nut 3| and Formed integral with the swivel 29 above its bearing shoulder 39 is the swivel extension 34 adapted to be received between the jaws I6. This extension 34 is provided with an eye 35 thru which is passed the pin I9. It is very desirable in hanging a block to provide the swivel 29 as its use permits a block to hang freely and to readily adjust itself to the lead of a line. The cross-head 23 above described is often built without the enlarged bearing portion 21, that is it is made iiat, in which event the jaws I6 ,straddle the crosshead 23 and the pin I9 is passed thru the eye 35 which is then positioned in the crosshead. I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate the above nor where the eye 35 in the crosshead 23 is eliminated and the pin I9 passed beneath the bottom face 23B of the crosshead 23. When this latter construction is used it is necessary to lengthen the jaws I8 sufciently. I have not shown the provision of ball or roller bearings which are sometimes provided between the bottom face 23B and the nut 3l in lieu of the washer 32.

While desirable, it is not necessary to use a. swivel in connection with a tree jack or tree` shoe. In Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown portions of what might be a tree jack or tree shoe and a different means for connecting the interconnection I2 therewith. For the present I shall use these figures, in lieu of additional illustrations, to set forth the usual method of hanging a tree jack or tree shoe. In its simple form a tree jack comprises two stiffened semi-circular plates having a plurality of pins, serving as bottom spread-v ers, Xed in the sides 3B and positioned therein on the arc of a great circle. Rotatable upon these pins are sheaves which give support to the head spar-tree end of a skyline cable. A tree shoe has a wood lagging in lieu of the sheaves and is used to support the skyline cable at the tail spar-tree. The skyline cable passes over the tree shoe and down to a ground ancho-rage. It passes over the tree jack and is connected to a set of tackle and by means of them to a ground anchorage. The fall line of the tackle is connected to a drum on the donkey and hence the skyline may be slackened off or tightened up. Since the skyline moves when it is slackened off or tightened up sheaves are used in lieu of the xed wood lagging. A tree jack or tree shoe 3l is provided with a pin 38, similar in construction to the pins I9 and 24, which passes thru the sides 36 and serves as a hinge pin for the usual clevis (not shown). This clevis may be positioned between the sides 35l or it may be made to straddle them. 'Ihis clevis is usually associated with the eye sling as described but it may be pointed out that it may be adapted tohinge upon the pin I9 of the interconnection I2. I prefer to use the hinged spreader 39, shown in one form in Figs. 7 and 8, which is provided with the eye 40 thru which the pin 38 passes and upon which the spreader is hinged. For a purpose to be later described, I have shown this spreader 39 bifurcated to form the spaced jaws 4I. If the spreader 39 is formed with an extension (not shown) having an eye, in a manner similar to the block spreaders described, the lower portion 42 does not need to be bifurcated. If the spreader is provided with a separately formed extension adapted to swivel it is desirable to bifurcate the portion 42. Without further illustration or comment it may be seen that a tree jack or tree shoe 31 may be hingedly secured to the interconnection I2 similarly to a block. A tree jack or tree shoe is only about one-half the thick- V-top 52 ness of a block. In Fig. 7, I have show-n the head portion i3 shortened in order 'to position the pin I9 closer to the spar-tree I5. The plan view of the shortened head portion I 3 may have the same general appearance Aas that of the longer head portion whose outline i3 is shown in Fig. l.

The head portion I3 comprises a base i4 to which the leg portion I is fixed. Looking down upon it the interconnection i2 has the appearance of an irregular hexagonal gure symmetrically disposed about the median line 5. The front wall i5 is formed to the curvature ofthe average spar-tree at the point where a block 25 is to be hung. Its front face 136A is also formed convexly. The outer face 41A of the front side walls 51, which join with thefront wall 48. is straight and on a radial line from the center 48 of the spar-tree I5. These side walls 4'! .are made of suiiicient length and thickness to permit the seat 49 for the convex end 3 of the thimble I to be adequately formed in their inner face 41B. 'They are joined to the straight rear side' Walls 55 which converge to join with the rear wall 5I which is in reality a continuance of the whose front portion 52A is parallelV with the base 44 and whose rear portion 52B is curved downwardly to meet the base 4Q in alignment with the rear face IA o the leg portion I4. Dividing the space enclosed by the above men- Ytioned walls into two symmetrical chambers 53,

is the division wall `511 which joins withk the top, bottom, front and rear walls.

Each front side wall 41 is pierced by an aperture 55 whose median line 55 is tangent to the center of the sling I I about the spar-tree I5. This aperture 55 is flared outwardly to the face 41A and is'slightly relieved where it merges into the seat 49. On the horizontal median line 5l of the head I3 is cut thru the rear side walls 5B the T-shaped slot 58 whose forward and narrow portion 5S merges with the aperture 55. The vforward face 5G oi the wide or head portion El is positioned approximately midway the thirnble I, when the same is in its seat 59, to form the shoulders 62 which serve to retain the thimble I within the chamber 53 against accidental removal. The slot 58 is made so that the cable 5 will pass sidewise thru its narrow portion 55 and the thimble I thru the wide portion 5I. The face MB is at right angles to the median line 55. The seat 4Q formed in thisface is given the same `curvature as the conveX end 3 but it is made deeper and hence of greater diameter than said convex end 3 which l permits the thimble I to adjust itself to the lead of the sling ends I IA and maintain its maximum bearing area.

I may hoist the block 2Q with the interconnection I2 secured thereto and with one end of the sling Il in its place within its respective 'chamber 53. As a safety measure against its accidental removal, especially when there is no strain on the sling I I, I have provided the keeper 53 which comprises an elongated bar having its ends .Se bent at right angles to its body portion 55 which is slidable thru a hole 65 so positioned in the division wall 5G that said body portion $5 may lie adjacent the corner 6l of the slot 5S and be supported thereby. Since the ends 64 are closely adjacent the face 55A of Ythe rear side walls 5E! they must be turned counter-clockwise in order to position them so that the keeper 63 may be moved sidewise, as shown in Fig. l to permit a thimble I to be entered or removed from its chamber 53. The keeper 63 has one of its ends being removed. When the assembly has 4been hoisted andthe front lface 45A of the interconnection I2 rests against the spar-tree :I5 .and Aits median line 5'I lis at right angles thereto, the free end of the 4sling II may be brought around the spar-tree and its thimbled end IIA moved sidewise thru the fslot 58 into its chamber '53 without short-bending it, forthe center ofthe sling I I may lie in the same plane as the median line 5T. In the above position the shortest sling II maybe used, but since the shoulders 52 ymust be passed in entering the thimble I in its 'chamber 53, 'and since these shoulders '62 are to the rear `of the thimble seat 49, it follows that there will be 'some slack in the sling I I to betaken up. This slack is taken up bylowering the block 2U to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. Inthis lowered position the center of the pin I9 vfalls on vthe median line 6B of the block 20 when it is iat rest. Since Athis median line 68 is forward of the median line 69 of the interconnec; Ytion I2 in its raised position, and since the convex face dBA-of the' interconnection I2 rests against the spar-tree in 4both positions, it follows that the interconenction I2 will be tilted upwardly in the lower position and the sling I I will be inclined. 'Whenin the lower position the center of the sling ends IiIA should be in alignment with the median line 5l', Ain which event the cable ends IIA may .leave the interconnection I2 without short-bending them. f In order to position thek interconnection I2 as described `for the raised position the upper end of the block must be moved outwardly or inclined outwardly as it is hoisted. vI have shown land described the entering of the sling ends HA thru the side walls of the interconnection IZ. The entering of 'the sling ends thru the 'side walls instead of thru the top 52 permits a better distribution `of the metal at the point of 'greatest stress, which is opposite the slot 58, without enlarging the structure. This point of greatest stress is adjacent the spar-tree I5 andv is given support thereby. rIt is to be noted that the faces IIA and 41B diverge as they'appreach the point of maximum stress.v`

- I havepointed out some of the different constructions met with in logging apparatus and how readily my interconnection I2 may be adapted to' them. I may link 4my interconnection I2 with the crosshead of a block or to a tree shoe or tree jack in still another way which I have illustrated in Figs. 7,- 8., and 9. I-have formed the leg portionlli with a -central cored chamber I0 thru' which the median line 58 passes in alignment therewith: The rear face 'II is provided with the slot 'I2 opening into thechamber 7H). -Its lower or Ynarrow portion 'I3 merges with the centrally positioned aperture 'M in the lower face l5. Its upper or wider portion 13A terminates midway ythe thimble l5, when its convex end 'I'I'isseated against the inner face 'I8 formed in' accordance therewith, to form the 'shoulders 'I9 which prevent the accidental removal of the thimble I5 from the chamber 10. The aperture I4 is flared outwardly toward the lower face 15. The thimble li'ris` connectedv to the short length of cablej.

39 in a like manner, by the method described for V 70) whose other end SI is connected to the spreader the securing of the thimble I to the cable 5. My object in biiurcating the lower portion 42 of the spreader 39 to form the jaws 4I is to permit ready access to the frusto-conically shaped chamber 82 bent after the body portionv 65 is positioned 'inf the hole 66 thereby preventing the keeper 63 from' in which'is secured'the end 8| of the cable 80 by the method previously'described.

Many changes may b e made in the design and arrangement of the interconnection l2 in its adaptation to the many designs of blocks, tree jacks, and tree shoes, now on the market, without departing from the basic idea, therefore, I do not limit myself to the designs illustrated and described but extend myV invention as far as comes fairly Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new is: A

l. The combination, in a device for hanging logging equipment on afspar-tree, of a cable having a thimble on' each end thereof, and an inverted L-shaped'interconnection having a head portion and a leg portion depending from said portion and formed to provide for a hinged connection between it and the equipment, said head portion having spaced recessed seats, positioned.

tangentially with respect to the spar-tree, for the engagement of the thimbled cable ends whereby said interconnection 'and the cable are associated to form afloop to encircle the spar-tree.

2. The combination, in adevice for hanging logging equipment on a spar-tree, of a cable having a thimble on each end thereof, and an inverted L-shaped interconnection having a head portion with a face curved concavely to conform approximately to the sparetree curvature and a leg vportion depending from said head portion and formed to provide for a hinged connection be tween it and the equipment, said head portion having spaced recessed seats, positioned tangentially with respect to the spar-tree, for the engagement of the thimbled cable ends whereby said interconnection and the cable are associated to form a loop toV encircle the spar-tree.

3. 'I'he combination, in a device for hanging logging equipment on a spar-tree, of a cable having a thimble on each end thereof, and an inverted L-shaped interconnection having a head portion with a convex face curved concavely to conform approximately'to the spar-tree curvature anda leg portion depending from said head portion and formed to provide for a hinged connection between it and the equipment, said head portion having spaced recessed seats, positioned tangentially with respect to the spar-tree, for the engagement of the thimbled cable ends whereby said interconnection and the cable are associated to form a loop to encircle the spar-tree.

4. The combination, in a device for hanging logging equipment on a spar-tree, of a cable having a thimble on each end thereof, and an inverted L-shaped interconnection having a head portion and a leg portion depending from said head portion and formed to provide forY a hinged connection between it and the equipment, said head portion having spaced recessed seats for the engagement of the thimbled cable endsso positioned as to permit said thimbled ends to be entered therein, without short-bending them, whereby said interconnection and the cable are associated to form a loop to encircle the spartree. i

A5. The combination, in a device for hanging logging equipment on a spar-tree, of a cable having a thimble on each end thereof, and an inverted L-shaped interconnection having a head portion and a leg portion depending vfrom said head portion and formed to provide for a hinged connection between it and the equipment, said head portion having recessed seats spaced apart in diverging relation and so positioned as to permit the thimbled cable ends to be entered in seating engagement therewith, without shortbending them, whereby said interconnection and the cable are associated to form a loop to encircle the spar-tree.

6; The combination,`in a device for hanging logging equipment on a spar-tree, of a cable having a thimble on each end thereof, and an inverted L-shaped interconnection having a head with a chambered portion and a leg portion depending from said head and formed to provide for a hinged connection between it and the equipment, said head having oppositely disposed apertures each entering the chambered portion from the side in substantially tangential alignment with its respective side of the spar-tree and each having its inner terminal enlarged to form a seat for the reception of the cable-end of the thimble, and a T-shaped slot, associating with each' aperture and having its leg portion merged therewith and its head portion positioned rearwardly of the thimble seat, one of said thimbled cablev ends being passed through said slot for engagement with its seat whereby said interconnection `and the cable are associated to form a loop toencircle the spar-tree.

7. The combination, in a'device for hanging logging equipment on a spar-tree, of a cable.

having a thimble on each end thereof, and an inverted L-shaped interconnection having a head with a chambered portion and a leg portion depending from said head and formed to provide for a hinged connection between it and the equipment, said head having oppositely disposed apertures each entering the chambered portion from the side in substantially tangential alignment with its respective side of the spar-tree and each having its inner terminal enlarged to form a seat for the reception of the cable-end of the thimble, and a T-shaped slot entering the chamber from the side, associating with each aperture and having its legportion merged therewith and its head portion positioned rearwardly of the thimble seat, one of said thimbled cable'endsbeing passed thru said slot for engagement with its seat where'- by said interconnection and the cable are associated to form a loop to encircle the spar-tree.

8. The combination, in a device for hanging logging equipment on a spar-tree, o1' a cable4 having a thimble on each end'thereof, and an inverted L-shaped interconnection having aV chambered head portion with seats therein for the reception or" the cable end of each thimble, a T-shaped aperture Acommunicating with each seat, with its head positioned rearwardly thereof, and providing an entrance to the chambered portion for the thimbled cable end to engage its seat, and a keeper slidably secured in the chambered head portion, and normally having lower and rear support from the head of each T-shaped aperture, adapted to be moved endwise to permit either of the thimbled cable ends to be entered or removed from the chambered head.

JESSE W. FOR/BESTER. 

